HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE

INTERIM OF 2010

COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Rep. John M. Mizuno, Chair

Rep. Tom Brower, Vice Chair

Rep. Della Au Belatti	Rep. Maile S.L. Shimabukuro
Rep. Joe Bertram, III	Rep. Ryan I. Yamane
Rep. Mele Carroll	Rep. Gene Ward
Rep. Scott Y. Nishimoto

COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

Rep. Rida Cabanilla, Chair

Rep. Pono Chong, Vice Chair

Rep. Jerry L. Chang	Rep. Sylvia Luke
Rep. Denny Coffman	Rep. Hermina M. Morita
Rep. Sharon E. Har	Rep. Roland D. Sagum, III
Rep. Robert N. Herkes	Rep. Corinne W.L. Ching
Rep. Ken Ito	Rep. Cynthia Thielen
Rep. Chris Lee

NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING

DATE:	Thursday, July 15, 2010
TIME:	10:00 a.m.
PLACE:	Conference Room 325 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street

A G E N D A

The purpose of  this joint informational briefing is to address the "chronically homeless" segment of the homeless population and discuss the "Housing First Pilot Program" which was passed by the Legislature and became law as Act 212 to address the chronic homeless.  Chronically homeless may include those who suffer from a mental illness and/or drug addiction, thus making acceptance to transitional or emergency housing difficult.

I.  The briefing will seek to explore plausible service providers for the Housing First Program.  The information from the briefing may provide the foundation for the implementation of Act 212.

For the general homeless population, the major reason for their predicament is poverty.  In Hawaii the number of homeless may exceed 5,000 on any given day.

The issue of homeless arrivals to Hawaii also adds to Hawaii's homeless and now represents approximately 30% of the state's homeless population.  The influx of mainland and non-citizen homeless has caused a substantial strain to the current services for Isle homeless.

II.  New York has a program which affords their homeless the ability to secure transportation back to their home state or country via airfare, bus, or train.  Their homeless return home program has a budget of $500,000 and has already sent more than 550 families back to 25 states across the U.S. and 5 continents.

III.  The briefing will review the effect of evicting the homeless from one park, while such homeless may then move to another park.  The discussion will consider an option of designating certain "safe zones" for the homeless.

IV.  The briefing will review barriers to housing for Hawaii's homeless and seek to identify the major reasons for homelessness in Hawaii.  Finally, the briefing will summarize the foregoing concerns and identify viable solutions to effectively reduce homelessness in Hawaii.

The following organizations have been invited to participate in this briefing:

United State Department of Housing and Urban Development

State Department of Human Services

Hawaii Public Housing Authority

The Institute for Human Services

Waikiki Health Center

University of Hawaii's Center on the Family

Hina Mauka

Hawaii Association of Realtors

River of Life

Help the Hawaii Homeless

People of the Promise Church - Pastor Noble

State and County rental housing and low-income housing programs

Agencies and faith based organizations which receive state funding to address homelessness and other related human services or housing providers of emergency and transitional housing.

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the informational briefing  (i.e., sign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-6050 to make a request for arrangements at least 24 hours prior to the briefing.  Prompt requests help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.

For further information, please call the Committee Clerk at 586-6050.

___________________________________ Rep. John M. Mizuno Chair	__________________________________ Rep. Rida Cabanilla Chair
	APPROVED
	__________________________________ Rep. Calvin K.Y. Say Speaker of the House